The present invention pertains to an adhesive tape pack, e.g., for further processing in book-binding or pad/block-binding technology in which a carrier element in the sheet or tape form primarily has a hot-melt adhesive layer.
The present invention pertains to an adhesive tape pack, e.g., for further processing in book-binding or block-binding technology in which a carrier element in the sheet or tape form primarily has a hot-melt adhesive layer.
Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to present and to mount coated adhesive tapes, so that they can be removed for the individual work process in a problem-free manner and without trouble.
The object set is accomplished according to the present invention in that the adhesive tape pack has tape sections that are separated from one another, whose edges adjoining one another are formed by notches, which cut through at least the carrier element, but not the adhesive layer.
The result of this measure is that the tape sections are held next to one another by the adhesive layer which is not or not completely cut through, and they may be easily detached from one another. The cohesion of the adhesive layer should be so great that it easily guarantees the cohesion of the tape sections in the adhesive tape pack, but easily permits the detachment of the individual tape section by means of tearing off or shearing off.
According to the present invention, hot-melt adhesive strips, the hot-melt adhesive layer of which can be easily notched, are especially suitable for this purpose. However, the present invention is not limited to the use of hot-melt adhesives.
In terms of the present invention, the notch may also penetrate more or less deeply into the hot-melt adhesive layer. It is essential for the remaining area of the hot-melt adhesive layer to guarantee the cohesion of the adhesive tape pack.
Adhesive tapes with desired tear points are known per se. In WO 89/09129 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,967,444, the tape-like carrier elements are coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, which must be covered with a protective film in order to achieve no adverse adhesion. The desired tear lines penetrate only partly into the carrier element, which cutting through same, as is stipulated by the present invention. In the present invention the hot-melt adhesive layer assumes the carrying function, which especially results in that a new and different process for the production of adhesive tapes is used in the present invention, as the hot-melt adhesive must be applied to the carrier element and must be cured before the carrier element is cut through in places. In the state of the art, on the other hand, the desired tear lines are cut into the carrier element before the adhesive is applied to the carrier element.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the tape sections are wound up end to end as a roll, whereby the notches run transversely to the longitudinal extension of the tape sections. Such a roll may be mounted in a tape holder provided with a dispensing slot, as a result of which the packaging and presenting for the purpose of processing the tape sections are given by one and the same subject. Such tape holders are known in themselves, e.g., through U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,472.
In the stack, it is possible for the blanks to be put together in the form of individual sheets or as an adhesively bound block. The formation of stacks with a zigzag fold of the blanks connected to one another is also provided, e.g., within the framework of the present invention.
Finally, the adhesive tape pack may have more than two layers, in which case the adhesive layer is located between every two carrier elements, which are cut through up to the adhesive layer.
The subject of the present invention also includes a device for the production of adhesive tape packs of the type according to the present invention. Accordingly, the cutting depth of the blade is set in a longitudinal and/or cross cutter for carrier elements coated on one side with hot-melt adhesive, such that the blade cuts through the carrier element, but not the hot-melt adhesive layer. In this case, it proves to be advantageous if the cutter has an adhesive tape unwinding roll in front of the blade and a winding-up roll behind the blade for the adhesive tape provided with transverse notches.
As already mentioned in the introduction, the cutting depth of the blade may also be adjusted, such that the notch also still protrudes somewhat into the hot-melt adhesive layer. However, the leftover remaining thickness of the hot-melt adhesive should still be so stable that it guarantees the cohesion of the adhesive tape pack.
Another, and in itself independent, inventive solution to the object set lies in that the end of at least one thread- or tape-like guide web is fixed to a tape reel, and the reservoir is formed by winding up this guide web together with a large number of successive blanks of the coated tapes, in such a way that the thread- or tape-like guide web comes to lie between each tape layer of the tape roll formed in this manner.
This guide web according to the present invention reliably separates the individual layers in the tape roll from one another if the coated tape blanks are removed by unwinding the reservoir. Even if the adhesive layer of the individual blanks displays adhesive action, this adhesive layer does not in any way interfere with the removal of the blanks, because the guide web located between the individual tape layers reliably makes possible the separation of the individual tape layer from the next one.
At the same time the guide web according to the present invention makes it possible to make pulling off the individual tape blanks from the tape roll easier.
The guide web according to the present invention can be a thread that comes to lie approximately in the middle of the wound-up tape. It is likewise possible to fix two or more threads, separated from one another, with their ends to a tape reel and to wind these up separately from one another together with the tape blanks. Finally, a guide web should be used that has a considerably greater width, i.e., compared with a thread. It is crucial for the guide web to consist of a material that can be detached easily from an adhesive layer.
However, it is also conceivable to join the blanks together by means of said adhesive elements, e.g., tapes, which partially cover their edges which adjoin one another.
Some other embodiment variants of the present invention are shown. Thus, e.g., the blanks may be wound up end to end on the tape reel or the tape roll, which, however, does not rule out that the blanks may also be wound up overlapping one another. The present invention does not even rule out a winding up of the blanks with gaps located between them.
It has been proven in practice that the adhesive layer of the wound-up blanks should be located on the side thereof directed outwards in the wound-up state. This measure makes it easier to introduce the pulled-off blank from the bottom against the back of a stack of sheets in order to bring about the planned adhesive binding there.
The reservoir according to the present invention generally consists of the mentioned tape reel which is first of all provided on one side with a disk in order to bring about a limitation of the tape roll that is being wound up. So that the end of the guide web may be easily connected to the tape reel, it is recommended to place a second disk on the tape reel only if the end of the guide web is fixed.
A reservoir formed under the terms of the present invention may according to the present invention be rotatably mounted in a housing that has a wall opening for the guiding through of the tapes and the guide web. Of course, this measure includes the fact that reservoirs of this type must be able to be easily replaced with one another in order to make possible an adhesive binding technique for higher numbers of pieces.
For the same reason, it is recommended to mount a drivable axle especially in counterrotation to the direction of tape removal in or next to the housing for winding up the pulled-off guide web. Due to the motor drive of this axle it is possible to pull off the needed blank from the reservoir in each case.
The present invention is further characterized by the incorporation of the reservoir into an adhesive binding device.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.